Improvement in car-seats



E. B.- SIMPSON. Car-Seat.

\ No. 201,056. Patented March 5, 187 8.

INVENTOR WTN ATTO RN EY.

N, FEI'ERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER WASHINGTON D C,

UNIT DSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

EBON B. SIMPSON, OF BBIDGEWATER, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-SEATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,056, dated March 5, 1878; application-filed January 12, 1878.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, EBON B. SnvrPsoN, of Bridgewater, in the county of Bockingham and State of Virginia, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Railway-Oar Chairs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a side view of this invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view. Fig. 3 is a detail view, and Fig. 4 is a detached view of the pivot-leg.

This invention has relation to improvements in railroad-chairs.

The object of the invention is to devise a chair which may be readily changed into a couch, and which may be reversed or turned around at pleasure, so that the sitter may always face the engine, if he so desire.

The nature of the invention will be fully explained hereinafter.

In the annexed drawings, the letter A designates the fioor of a car, having rigidly secured thereon, at right angles to the length of the car, the guides B. These guides B are of cast metal, and are composed of two sections, arranged parallel to each other, and having the general form of an arch. The space between the sections a a is of dovetail form, as shown at b, Fig. 3, and extends from the point 0 outside of the apex of the arch to the inner end thereof. The guides B are arranged in pairs, end to end, a guide being appropriated to each seat D.

The seat-bottom d is supported upon the usual standards (1, and may be made of wood or metal. In either event it will be softly cushioned, in any way customary with upholsterers, and will be provided upon its under side, at about its middle point, with a bridge, 6, in which is journaleda fifth leg, f, of less length than the legs or standards 01. The leg f depends vertically from the bridge, and rotates axially therein, for a purpose hereinafter explained. It has upon its lower end a dovetailed tenon, g, of the same form as the space between the sections of the guides, having its lower edge beveled, as shown at i, Fig. 2. The

tenon g is readily insertible between the sections a a of the guides B at the point a, and the chair may be then pushed toward the side wall of the car, during which movement the tenon of the leg f descends the incline of the guide B, and finally wedges the legs or standards against the bottom of the car, thereby holding the chair firmly in place.

To reverse the chair, so that the passenger may face the engine, the chair is drawn out from the side of the car until the leg f is directly over the apex of the arch. In this position the legs or standards are clear of the floor, and above the lowest points of the guide, and consequently the chair may be swung round upon the said leg f as a pivot, or, by continuing to draw the chair until the said leg escapes at the point 0, it may be detached from the guide altogether.

D represents the back of the chair, hinged in any suitable manner to the seat-bottom, and provided upon its edges with a pin or pins, j, or other equivalent device, with which a detachable seat-arm brace, E, pivoted to the edge of the chair, is adapted to engage detachably by means of a hook, h. By detaching these braces from the seat-back the latter may be swung down into the position shown in Fig. 1, when the chair is converted into a couch.

At the front edge of the seat-bottom are staple-guides l, the branches of which extend through the said bottom, as shown in Fig. 2. By drawing up these staples a light foot-board, G, may be passed through them, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby preventing the occupants of adjoining chairs from interfering with each other.

There may be a separate foot-board for each chair, or a single board may engage the guides of both chairs.

When used as a seat, the foot-boards are drawn out, the guides thrustdown, and the said foot-boards re-engaged with the guides below the seat-bottom.

In practice each chair is provided upon its under side with loops at, that support a pillow.

It will be observed that one of the seat-backs may be swung down, thereby forming a couch, while the other is erect, as shown in Fig. l, by which means an invalid may recline at full length and his attendant be seated at his side,

without inconveniencing the occupants of other seats.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a railroad-chair, of the slotted dovetailed guide B and the central leg f, having the dovetail tenon g, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the arched slotted guide B, having the dovetail space b, and a railroad-chair having the central leg fengaging the said guide, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a railroad-chair having an adjustable back, of the adjustable staple-guides land the removable boards G, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

EBON B. SIMPSON.

Witnesses J. E. SU'NERLAND, PAUL W. LATHAM. 

